National team players will this weekend be all out to prove that they are worth new monthly contracts as the second round of the Division I Uganda Cricket Association League resumes at different venues in the country.

They will be aware that the technical team that will be led by outgoing national coach Davis Turinawe will be keenly watching which stars are worth renewing their contracts next month.

14 stars are on contract with the Uganda Cricket Association and Turinawe is confident that they have been improving, though he wants this improvement to reflect on their performances at their respective clubs.

Turinawe, who has focused on seeing that the batsmen stay longer on the crease as a way of making more runs and the bowlers becoming more economical, will be on the lookout as all his contracted players will be in action on Sunday.

The players are preparing for the ICC Division III Cricket League that will be hosted in Uganda from October 26 to November 2.

“They have improved a lot. We have only reminded them not to put themselves under pressure but try their level best to see to it that they do what they should do. The result is already being seen,” said Turinawe.

Turinawe will be closely monitoring national openers Roger Mukasa (Tornado B) and Arthur Kyobe (Challengers) who are topping the batting statistics together with Humphrey Kayondo (Rounders) and candidate for Man of Series Frank Nsubuga, who is topping the bowling and is fifth in the batting averages.

Nsubuga, who is currently taking on Tornado’s captaincy with national team mate Deus Muhumuza and veteran Nehal Bibodi, who has retraced his roots back to the club that made him famous, to see to it that they keep the pressure on Tornado B by winning the day’s encounter against a fourth placed Challengers side that has both Henry Ssenyondo and Jonathan Ssebanja in its bowling attack as they seek to move closer to the top.

Tornado B, who are currently having a 10 point advantage with a game more played, will be taking on a struggling Wanderers, who are aware that any more losses will see them relegated to the Division II as they are still struggling at second from bottom with 13 points.

The bottom two clubs face the drop and Jinja SS looks more destined to be the first club to be relegated with only two points from eight encounters.